Apparatus for impregnating wood.



No. 7||,os0. Patented Dot. l4, I902. w. L. SMITH. I

APPARATUS FOR IMPBEGNATING WOOD.

(Application flled Feb. 1, 1902 (No Model.)

WITNESSES: INVENTOH %ZZzamZ. J? 27% B) V I ATTORNEYS m: News l-Enms co, Pam-a ua WASHKNGTON, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE \VILLI AM LAVVLOR SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING. WOOD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 711,080, dated. October 14, 1902.

Application filed February 1,1902. Serial No. 92,203. (No model.)

To all w/wm/ it rnwy concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM LAWLOR SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, Ravenswood, borough of Queens, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Impregnating TVood with Solution, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates particularly to apparatus for impregnating wood with a fireproofing solution; and the object is to provide a simple apparatus by means of which the wood may be rapidly treated under high pressure and having means for regulating the device to the pressure desired, and, further, to provide, in connection with the apparatus, an auxiliary or testing cylinder in which comparatively small strips of wood maybe placed and subjected to the same treatment as the large timbers in the main cylinder, so that the treatment may at times be observed by removing the wood from the auxiliary cylinder, thus obviating the trouble, time, and expense of drawing off the large amount of solution in the main cylinder and removing the wood therefrom.

I will describe an apparatus for impregnating wood with solution, embodying my invention, and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which the figure shows an apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the dome of a main cylinder in which the wood to be treated is placed and which it is not deemed necessary to show herein. A pipe 2 leads from a tank containing solution and connects with a pump 3, from which a pipe 4 leads into the dome l. Arranged in this pipe & is a check-valve 5. The pipe 4 is also provided with acut-oif valve 6, andin an upward extension 7 is arranged a safety-valve 8,Which may be regulated to any desired pressurethat is, it is to be arranged to open and permit the escape of liquid should the pressure reach above a certain point. A relief or discharge pipe 9, provided with a valve 9, leads from the apparatus. As here shown, the said pipe has connection with the pipe 4, and it also has connection through the branches 10 and 11 with the suction-pipe 2. In this branch 11 of the relief-pipe is a cut-off valve 11 and a check-valve 12. This pipe 9 also communicates'with the casing of the safety-valve, and continued from the portion 1.0 of said relief-pipe is a pipe 13, which discharges into a tub 14, from which a valved pipe-15 leads into the suction-pipe 2. This extension 13 is provided with a valve 16, which may be closed during a certain operation of the apparatus and opened when liquid is to be dis charged into the tub 14. The tub may be prevented'from overflowing by means of a floatvalve 17, arranged therein and designed to engage in the outlet of the pipe 13. The pipe 15 is also provided with a cut-cit valve 18.

Having connection with the apparatus at any suitable point is an auxiliary or testing? cylinder 19. As here shown, this cylinder 19 connects with the relief-pipe 9 by means of a tube 20, having a valve 20 This cylinder 19 will have a removable end or ends, so that material may be passed into and out of the same.

In operation after placing the wood to be treated in the main cylinder solution is to be pumped into the cylinder in the usual manner, and at this time the valve in the pipe 9 and the valve 16 will be opened, so as to permit the escape of air from the cylinder while filling the same. Before it is completely filled, however, the said valves are to be closed, so that there will be a cushion of air in the dome. After filling the cylinder, as above mentioned, the valve 6 is to be opened, and the pump 3 while in operation will draw solution from the solution-tank and force it through the pipe e and into the dome, consequently producing a pressure on the liquid already within the cylinder, and this operation will be kept up for a considerable length of time-say six or seven hours-until the wood becomes sufficientlyimpregnated or saturated, and this may be ascertained by removing a piece of wood from the auxiliary cylinder 19, the pressure of liquid in which is equal to that of the liquid in the main cylinder.

To relieve the pressure after the operation, the valve in the pipe 9 is to be opened, as is also the valve in the pipe-section 11. The high pressure within the operating or main cylinder will cause a greater portion of the liquid to be forced out through the pipes 9, 10, and 11 and back through the pipe 2 to the solution-tank. The remainder of the solution may be drawn out from the bottom of the main cylinder.

It may be desired to draw out the liquid through the pipe-section 13. At this time the valve in the pipe 11 must be closed and the valve 16 opened. The liquid will then run into the tub 14 and thence through the pipe 2 to the solution-tank.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to seeu re by Letters Patent-- 1. In an apparatus of the character described, a suction-pipe, apump having connection with said suction-pipe, a pipe leading from the pump into a receptacle for containing wood to be treated, a relief-pipe for the receptacle discharging into the suction-pipe, and an auxiliary testing-cylinder having connection with the relief-pipe, substantially as specified.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a suction-pipe, a pump having connection with said suction-pipe, a pipe leading from the pump into a receptacle for containing-wood to be treated, a check-valve in said last-named pipe, and a relief-pipe for the receptacle and discharging into the suctionpipe, substantially as specified.

3. In an apparatus of the character described,a suction-pipe, a pump with which the pipe connects, a pipe leading from the pump into a receptacle for material to be treated, a safety-valve for said pipe, a checkvalve in said pipe, and a relief-pipe leading from said pipe to the sucti0n-pipe, substantially as specified.

at. In an apparatus of the character described, a suction-pipe, a pump with which the suction-pipe connects, a pipe leading from the pump to a-receptacle for material to be treated, a check-valve in said lastnamed pipe, a relief-pipe leading from said last-named pipe and connected with the suction-pipe, and a check-valve in said relief-.

pipe, substantially as specified.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a suction-pipe, a pump with which said pipe connects, a pipe leading from the pump to a receptacle for material to'be treat-- ed, a check-valve in said last-named pipe, a safety-valve in said pipe, a relief-pipe discharging into the suction-pipe, a cut-off valve in said relief-pipe, and a check-valve in said relief-pipe, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\VILLIAM LAYLOR SMITIL 

